Big, puffy, cotton-like clouds, and the bubbles in a pot of boiling water may not seem like they have much in common, but they do—both are formed by a heat-transfer process called convection. Warmed gases and liquids rise, while cooler ones fall, creating currents and mixing things up. Whether making processed foods in a factory or making plastic or metal parts, knowing how to mix up a big tank of hot and cold liquids or gases quickly is important. Engineers must rely on experimentation…
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Generating power from mud sounds like science fiction, but it is actually real science, and a promising source of alternative energy. Topsoil is packed with bacteria that generate electricity when placed in a microbial fuel cell. Because such bacteria-laden soil is found almost everywhere on Earth, microbial fuel cells can make clean, renewable electricity nearly anyplace around the globe. They are an up-and-coming technology that scientists and engineers are working on making even more…
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Elec_p071

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- Less Details

Time Required

Very Long (1+ months)

Prerequisites

Having used a voltmeter/multimeter before is helpful, but not required.

Material Availability

The microbial fuel cell kit needs to be special ordered from the [# Link Name="Elec_p071.7" Value="HtmlAnchor" #].

Cost

Average ($50 - $100)

Safety

Be sure to wear the gloves supplied with the kit when handling the microbial fuel cell's electrodes (its cathode and anode). The electrodes are made of a conductive material called graphite fiber and should not be placed near electronics, power plugs, or have their fibers dispersed in the air. The fibers will cause electrical shortages when in contact with electronics.

What can you do with magnets and ball bearings that makes a lot of noise? Why, build a magnetic rifle, called a Gauss rifle, of course! Now, this rifle is not a weapon, but a way for you to learn a lot more about physics concepts, like momentum. In this physics science project, you will investigate how far a ball bearing launched by a Gauss rifle will fly, depending on how many magnetic acceleration stages are in the rifle and the ball bearing's initial velocity. This science project makes for…
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Phys_p081

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- Less Details

Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Specialty items including neodymium magnets and steel ball bearings are needed for this project. See the Materials and Equipment list for details.

Cost

Low ($20 - $50)

Safety

A Gauss rifle can produce high velocity projectiles. Do not aim the gun at anyone or anything; do not put your hand in front of the projectile. Operate the Gauss rifle safely. Be sure to read the important safety notes at the beginning of the Experimental Procedure before you begin. Scissors or other metal objects may be attracted to the magnets; use caution when using metal objects near the magnets.

Did you know that your body needs a certain amount of iron in order to stay healthy? Iron can be found in much of what you consume each day. Almond meal—frequently used in cookies—is just one example of an iron-rich food. However, only a small fraction of the iron in food gets absorbed by the body, partially because the body can only absorb dissolved iron. In this project, you will study whether the acidic environment in your stomach helps dissolve iron. You will use a color-based…
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HumBio_p043

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Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

This science project requires an iron test kit, available from [# Link Name="Chem_p090.7" Value="HtmlAnchor" #]. The Time Required estimate includes time for obtaining materials. Actual experimental time is only a few hours.

Cost

Average ($40 - $80)

Safety

The chemicals in the test kit could cause irritation if not handled properly. Be sure to wear gloves, safety goggles, and work in a well-ventilated area. Adult supervision is recommended. The small amount of sulfites contained in the iron indicator tablets may cause an allergic reaction in people who have asthma.

Have you ever been in an earthquake? What did it feel like? Did you jiggle back and forth? Up and down? Was there a jolt? Or a rolling motion? Come build a house Hansel and Gretel would love to eat, a special table to shake it on, and see how different soil types can amplify shaking.
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CE_p023

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- Less Details

Time Required

Average (6-10 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

Readily available

Cost

Low ($20 - $50)

Safety

Children who are allergic to peanuts should substitute a safe alternative for the peanut butter.

The makers of sports drinks spend tens to hundreds of millions of dollars advertising their products each year. Among the benefits often featured in these ads are the beverages' high level of electrolytes, which your body loses as you sweat. In this science project, you will compare the amount of electrolytes in a sports drink with those in orange juice to find out which has more electrolytes to replenish the ones you lose as you work out or play sports. When you are finished, you might even…
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Chem_p053

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- Less Details

Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

You will need a digital multimeter for this science fair project. See the Materials and Equipment list for more details.

Have you ever wondered why some things disappear when they are put in water but other things do not? For example, you may have seen that salt disappears, or dissolves, when it is mixed in a glass of water. But when you throw a rock in a stream it will not usually dissolve, and instead it will just sink to the bottom. And then there are some things that do not act like the salt or the rock. These are called colloids. If you have made Oobleck out of cornstarch and water, then you have seen…
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Imagine if instead of spooning up a bowl of soup, a container of yogurt, or a cup of pudding you could just pick up and pop in your mouth a round, mess-free, ball-like blob of one of those. It might feel like snacking rather than eating a meal! In this food science project you can try exactly that. The simple step-by-step directions will lead you through trying a fun cooking technique called reverse spherification to turn yogurt into semi-solid balls, which are called "raviolis." How do you…
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Imagine that you could make an important piece of laboratory equipment in your kitchen. With this science project idea, you can! You will create your own centrifuge out of a salad spinner and some putty. In science labs, centrifuges are used to separate different liquids and/or solids from each other. You can load your homemade centrifuge with samples and see how they separate. What
do you think happens to melted butter in a centrifuge?
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BioChem_p040

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- Less Details

Time Required

Short (2-5 days)

Prerequisites

None

Material Availability

You will need to purchase the centrifuge tubes online. See the Materials and Equipment section for details.

Plants need nitrogen to build proteins and nucleic acids to grow healthy stems and leaves. Though the Earth's atmosphere is made up of 79% nitrogen, the form of nitrogen found in the atmosphere cannot be used by plants. In this experiment, you will compare plants grown without nitrogen fertilizer to plants grown with nitrogen fertilizer.
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